


One Week Later

by Squidgilator



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 22:45:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13444986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squidgilator/pseuds/Squidgilator
Summary: One week after Sirius and Remus get cozier than anticipated, Remus is acting odd. Sirius has to get him alone to figure out why.This works as a stand-alone piece but could also be read as the sequel to Stars.





	One Week Later

It's been a week. It's been one week since Sirius broke and told Remus that they know. That they-Sirius, James, Peter-know about Remus and his "moonlight jaunts". One week since Remus came back to the room and the look on his face said everything. James didn't even ask, just gave him a hug and a few gruff words of affection. Peter smiled and said something kind and that was that. It was hard to watch the relief and warmth spread across Remus' face because really-what had he expected from them?

But today it's been one week exactly and Remus is on edge. Sirius can feel the tightness in his posture, the smallness of his movements. The relief is gone and all that Sirius can find in Remus' face is a mask.

Sirius can't help but think it's his fault. 

Because-oh yes-it's been one week exactly since the strange, long, intimate moment in the lake. Remus, giddy with relief and joy and lightness after Sirius had told him that they knew-that they _knew_ and they _didn't care_ -had let Sirius come just a little bit closer. Up to his waist in the freezing lake, laughing and carefree, Remus had let Sirius see a little bit of something that Sirius hadn't expected. Not the scars--Sirius could probably have guessed that those were there, based on a few too many post-moon hospital visits. 

No, Sirius looked at Remus at just the right moment and saw something much more interesting--longing. 

And Sirius knew--knew at that exact moment, one week ago--that the longing was a mirror of his own. And knew that he could have leaned forward at any moment to close the small gap between them. He thinks he probably would have if James hadn't interrupted with a yell from the lake's shore.

So, it's been a week exactly since... whatever that was. And ever since, Sirius feels like he's been a loose collection of fizzing whizbees tied together with string--frantic nerves and buzzing muscles, even more unable to sit still than usual. He can't look at Remus and he can't not look at Remus. He has to sit ten feet away at all times but he wants to jump on top of him--just to put his hands on him again.

He knows that Remus can feel it because Remus is even more careful than usual. He is so still and attentive in class that Professor McGonagall looks slightly unnerved. He stays out of arms reach of Sirius at all time. It is strange and awkward and terrifying, and Sirius is one hundred percent sure that he is the only one who has noticed. James, even, seems oblivious. Content and cheerful, he is trundling along as usual, planning pranks and kitchen raids.

Today, he is planning a Halloween party--specifically, the liquor aspect of said party. A seventh year Ravenclaw has managed to smuggle in some firewhiskey as far as the bushes behind the greenhouse, and James is trying to figure out how to smuggle it into the dorms.

"Remus and I can levitate it up from the grounds," Sirius says, promptly. "If you're waiting in the window as lookout."

James nods in assent, barely looking up from his notes. "Alright. That's not a bad idea, we'll just have to do it during dinner when nobody's around."

Sirius thinks sadly of a missed Halloween feast, but then his stomach flip-flops--equal parts nervous and thrilled--at the thought of finally getting Remus alone under the guise of teamwork. 

"The crates are pretty heavy," James is saying, when Sirius can pull his thoughts back to the present. "But I think you and Remus can manage not to break anything."

He is giving Sirius a significant look when Remus appears in front of them. 

"What are we not breaking?" Remus says, looking bemusedly down at James. 

"Some _very_ good liquor I procured for the party of the year," says James, and Sirius rolls his eyes. "I need you and Sirius to levitate it up to the dorms tonight during dinner."

"I already told Tom I'd help him with his DA assignment over dinner," says Remus, too smoothly. "Get Peter to help. Or do it yourself."

"Peter can barely levitate his feather," says Sirius, a trifle too meanly. "And James has important Lily-related tasks to attend to at dinner."

James blushes scarlet. "Bugger off! I just want to tell her about the party in person." He shuffles his notes around unnecessarily.

"Come on, Remus," wheedles Sirius, ignoring James entirely. "It's not like anybody will be doing their homework tonight, of all nights. It's Halloween!"

Remus shrugs. "Fine," he says, finally looking down at Sirius. "But it better be quick. If I don't get any pumpkin pasties tonight I'm telling Peter you're the one who stole his favorite socks."

Sirius gasps in mock horror even as his spirits soar. "You wouldn't! They're so _comfy_ ," he says, stroking his socked feet with protective fondness.

Later that night, Sirius sneaks past the door to the Great Hall and finds Remus already waiting outside, shivering slightly in his light jumper. As Sirius emerges he turns on his heel towards the greenhouse. 

"Come on, then," he says, over his shoulder. "I want my pumpkin pasty."

Sirius jogs to keep up and matches step with him, his stomach in a turmoil. He wants to say something, anything, to guide the conversation towards whatever the fuck has been between them lately, but he can't seem to talk over the screaming in his head. Remus is walking quickly, his gaze fixed firmly ahead. 

"You know we can always wrangle some pasties out of the house elves later, right?" Sirius finally says, panting slightly. "I've got What's-Her-Name wrapped around my little finger. No need to sprint!"

"'What's-Her-Name' thinks you're dim-witted," says Remus. He's smiling but he isn't looking at Sirius and he doesn't slow down. "That's why she gives you so much food--she thinks you're a charity case."

Sirius shrugs. "I mean, I'm not going to put her straight when pumpkin pasties are on the line."

Remus smirks but he still isn't looking around or slowing down--if anything, he's picking up the pace. Sirius finally can't take it anymore. Reaching out, he snags Remus' wrist and yanks him back, hard. Too hard--Remus stumbles backwards and falls to the ground. Within moments he's sprung to his feet and has wheeled on Sirius. 

"What the bloody hell was that for?" he yells, angry red spots appearing on his pale cheeks. 

"Sorry!" Sirius blurts out, his hands up in supplication. "I was just trying to get you to slow down, and--and bloody _talk_ to me!"

"What the fuck do you think I'm doing, Sirius?" Remus says angrily. "Serenading you?"

"No! You're fucking ignoring me! I'm not stupid--you're acting like I have the plague! I'm just--I'm trying to figure out what's wrong!" Sirius is saying all of this too loudly, but he's angry, and desperate, and he wants so badly for Remus to go back to normal, to be jokey and exasperated and silly again. 

Remus looks taken aback by Sirius' outburst. "I--" he starts, then closes his mouth and pushes a hand--dirty and stuck with leaves from his fall--through his hair. "Look, I'm sorry," he finally says, looking away from Sirius. "I just felt weird, after--after the stuff in the lake."

"What stuff?" says Sirius, much more quietly this time, although he's pretty sure he knows what stuff Remus is obliquely referring to. 

"Just, you know," Remus says, faintly, waving his arm around in a vague swooping gesture. "Stuff."

Sirius steps up closer to him, his heart racing. He reaches out, and gently touches Remus on the chest, where he knows there is a close lattice of scars. 

"This stuff?" he says, softly. He is not talking about the scars, and he knows that Remus knows that.

Remus' head snaps up and he is looking intensely into Sirius' eyes. Sirius can hear his own breath quicken, and Remus' in return. 

"Yes," says Remus, just as softly. 

This time, Sirius closes the gap. Stepping forward only slightly, his face is close enough to Remus that it takes only a slight swaying motion before their lips are gently, gently touching. It is no more than a brush before he leans away again, waiting for Remus to respond. Remus' eyes have flickered closed. 

For a beat, they remain silent, standing so close that Sirius swears he can hear both their heartbeats. Then Remus opens his eyes and looks at Sirius.

"Again?" he asks, simply. And Sirius obliges. 

The firewhiskey eventually makes it up to the tower, although Remus doesn't make it back in time for the pumpkin pasties.


End file.
